So your mower is stalling…and stalling. And the lawn shows it. Something’s got to be done.
How long is a lawnmower supposed to last anyway? Thinking back, your dad had the same lawnmower the entire time you lived at home. So what’s up with your mower that is less than four seasons old?
Better go ask Google.
Google receives more than 63,000 searches per second on any given day. Yes, Google is counting. That's 3.8 million searches per minute, 228 million searches per hour, 5.6 billion searches per day, and 2 trillion searches per year.
Ask Google what’s making your lawnmower stall and you’ll get 13,750,000,000 results in .74 seconds. And just about every response will suggest that your carburetor or fuel tank needs attention.
Check out the top 9 in a Google search and see what we mean. These 9 solutions are taken directly from the first page of a search on Google:
- The carburetor might be clogged. A clogged carburetor is most commonly caused by leaving fuel in the lawn mower for a long period of time. This sticky fuel can clog up the carburetor and cause the engine to stall. If the carburetor is clogged, try cleaning it with carburetor cleaner.
- Sometimes, the motor runs for a while before it sputters and dies. A clogged fuel filter can also cause a mower engine to die. Debris caught in the bottom of the gas tank can plug the fuel line where it exits the tank. Change the fuel filter -- which is also a good practice if you have moisture issues.
- Your mower pulls in air from outside and mixes it with gasoline for the proper explosion inside the engine. A dirty air filter inhibits the flow of air into the carburetor. ... Too much air can also cause problems for the engine. A bad cap on the gas tank is the first place to look.
- Take off the mower casing and clean out all of the debris inside. Use blasts of compressed air, a vacuum, or a toothbrush to knock debris loose. If this doesn't fix the overheating problem, the next most common cause of the problem is a low oil level.
- A simple, often overlooked, trigger for an engine stall occurs when the heated gases inside the fuel tank can't vent properly. The pressure causes the gas flow to reverse and move out of the carburetor, effectively shutting the engine down. On lawn mowers, most vapor lock occurs through a dirty fuel tank cap.
- Problems in the Fuel System. Surging is also caused by water that got into the fuel. A mower left in a heavy rain or condensation on a hot summer day can choke the engine. Empty the gas tank, properly dispose of the old fuel and try a fresh batch of gasoline.
- When a lawn mower bogs down, the engine seems to lack enough power to keep the blades slicing through grass. While it seems that the mower is unreliable, the cause of the problem may require minor repairs.
- · Engine Dies When Blades Are Engaged. A relatively rare lawn tractor symptom is having the engine die when the blades are working. If this occurs, there are multiple parts to check, such as the switch, belt, and pulley. An improperly routed belt can cause the engine to die when the blades are engaged
- Power Loss Due to Dirt. The primary reason your push mower may lose power is often dirt. There are two major locations to check out – the air cleaner elements, and the fuel system. Grass and dirt can clog up the air filter, if it has one, or block the cooling fins.
We at Mowmore.com recommend that the first thing you do if your lawnmower is stalling is to replace the blades. It should be your number one step you take to fix the problem.
Seriously.
Our own experience mowers that were properly winterized and stored (the way your dad did it) don’t just stall mid-mowing the first mow of the season.
As a reminder, winterizing your lawn mower involves these three simple steps:
- Run the mower out of gas, or add the recommended amount of fuel stabilizer to the gas in the tank.
- Remove the spark plug wire for safety reasons before working on the mower.
- Clean any dirt and debris off the engine and top of the mower deck.
So if you’re mower is stalling get on our website and buy new sharpened mower blades. Mowmore.com has every kind of mower blade you need for your home or commercial mowing business. Got questions? Call us at 800-866-9667.